Gingerbread Overnight Oats

Looking for more high protein overnight oats recipes? Try my Cottage Cheese Overnight Oats, Tiramisu Overnight Oats, or Apple Cinnamon Protein Overnight Oats next!

About This Recipe

If you love overnight oats for breakfast, you’ll love this healthy holiday-themed breakfast with gingerbread flavors! These Gingerbread Overnight Oats are easy to make the night before and take just minutes to prepare!

It’s a protein-packed breakfast full of warm, classic gingerbread spices like ginger, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, a touch of cardamom and is sweetened with molasses. I like to top it off with some fresh blueberries, my homemade holiday spiced pecan butter (which is absolutely sublime!), and a crumbled Biscoff cookie instead of gingerbread cookie for sweet caramel notes.

I’ve also added vanilla protein powder to this filling and nutritious breakfast. A bonus about using protein powder is that it makes the oats so thick and creamy and you’ll feel like you’re eating an indulgent dessert!

With the perfect balance of protein, fiber, and healthy fats, this festive breakfast gingerbread oats will keep you full and energized for hours!

If you’re looking for other healthy breakfasts with gingerbread flavors, try my Gingerbread Granola or Gingerbread Baked Oats!

Ingredient Notes and Substitutes

• Old Fashioned Rolled Oats: I used Red Tractor Creamy Style Rolled Oats which makes these overnight oats extra thick and creamy! Jumbo oats and porridge oats will work. Instant oats can be used but they don’t need to be soaked as long. Avoid steel-cut oats (they won’t soften enough) and quick oats (they will turn into mush).
• Vanilla Protein Powder: I used PEScience Select Gourmet Vanilla protein powder, which is a whey-casein protein powder blend. Whey-casein results in the best thick and creamy overnight oats texture. That said, a pure whey, casein or vegan protein powder can be used. Note that vegan protein powders absorb more liquid than whey or a whey-casein protein powder blend so you will need to add additional milk.
• Black Chia Seeds: Or white chia seeds. They thicken the oats and also add healthy fats and fiber.
• Spices: We have classic gingerbread warming spices like ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. I also love to add ground cardamom for a hint of sweet floral notes but it’s optional.
• Fat Free Greek Style Yogurt: Or use regular or fat free Greek yogurt, thick plain yogurt, or dairy-free yogurt.
• Unsulphured Molasses: A classic sweetener in gingerbread! I used full flavor unsulphured molasses (not blackstrap molasses) to lightly sweeten the baked oats. Substitute with black treacle or use maple syrup instead.
• Unsweetened Almond Milk: I like unsweetened vanilla almond milk but you can use regular almond milk. Or use other non-dairy milk like unsweetened coconut milk, oat milk, soy milk, etc. Regular dairy milk (whole milk, skim milk, fat-free milk) would also work.
• Lotus Biscoff Cookie: Crumbled on top to add some crunch and sweet, spiced caramel flavors! You can use a gingerbread cookie or any other speculoos cookie too.
• Other optional toppings: I like to add fresh blueberries and a drizzle of homemade spiced pecan butter but any of your favorite toppings will work! Other topping ideas are sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, chopped nuts, chia seeds, hemp seeds, unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted unsweetened coconut flakes, other fresh or frozen fruit, other berries, other nut butter,  etc.

Full ingredient list and amounts are in the recipe card below.

How to Make Gingerbread Overnight Oats

Below is a step-by-step overview on how to make this recipe. Keep scrolling down to get to the recipe card below with the full recipe and detailed instructions!

Storing

The overnight oats without toppings will keep for up to 4-5 days in the fridge if stored properly in sealed airtight containers. I personally feel they taste best when consumed within 3 days. After that, the texture starts to change too much and they don’t taste as fresh. The oats will increasingly thicken over time in the fridge so you may need to stir in more milk before eating. Once your desired consistency is achived, add your toppings and enjoy.

Variations

Dietary Modifications

• Gluten-free. Use gluten-free certified oats and a gluten-free gingerbread cookie or speculoos cookie.
• Dairy-free. Use a plant-based protein powder (not whey or casein protein), nut milk, soy milk or oat milk and a dairy-free Greek or thick Greek style yogurt. Coconut yogurt by Cocobella, vanilla or plain yogurt by Kite Hill brand (made from almond milk and soy yogurt) can also be used.
• Nut-free. Don’t top with pecan butter. Feel free to use a nut-free peanut butter, sunflower seed butter, pumpkin seed butter or even tahini (sesame seed butter) instead if desired.

Flavor/Preference Customizations

• Add more protein. Use a full scoop of protein powder instead of ⅔ scoop. You’ll need to add additional milk so that the overnight oats aren’t too thick and can be easily mixed. Using soy milk instead of almond milk would also boost the protein content.
• Use an unflavored protein powder. Add ½ teaspoon vanilla extract or use vanilla flavored Greek yogurt and use more sweetener to taste to yield a similar flavor.
• Add fresh ginger. For a stronger ginger flavor!
• Use a different sweetener. Some other sweetener options are maple syrup, honey, date syrup, agave nectar (agave syrup), brown sugar, coconut sugar, monk fruit sweetener, allulose, and stevia. For a sweeter flavor like M&S gingerbread overnight oats, add a drizzle of caramel sauce.
• Top with other fresh fruit. Instead of blueberries, use raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, diced mango, peach, apricots, kiwi, tangerine, banana slices, pomegranate perils, etc.
• Add nuts. Chopped pecans, hazelnuts, almonds, pistachios, walnuts, macadamias, cashews, etc.

FAQs

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